Exercise balls help improve balance, core stability, strength and flexibility, all of which combine to help make everyday and sporting activities easier. Exercise balls typically range from 35 to 85 cm in diameter and are sized according to your leg length. When you sit on a properly inflated exercise ball of the right size, feet planted on the floor, your knees and hips will both be bent at 90-degree angles.
Aside from ensuring that your exercise ball is the right size, proper inflation also guarantees that it'll provide the right challenge. Under-inflated or overinflated exercise balls are hard to handle and give either too little or too much support, respectively.
Step 1
Check the ball’s packaging, directions or printing on the ball for the ball’s fully inflated diameter. The two most common exercise ball diameters are 55 and 65 cm.
Step 2
Place a sturdy box near a wall that doesn’t have any decorations or obstructions on it below waist height. Use the measuring tape to position the box the distance of the ball’s diameter away from the wall. If you don’t have a box handy, measure the distance of the ball’s diameter up the wall from the floor, then place a piece of masking tape horizontally at this point.
Step 3
Insert the ball pump into the exercise ball’s air valve, and inflate the ball. Once the ball is partially inflated, place it between the box and the wall.
Step 4
Continue inflating the ball until it just brushes both the box and the wall or it lines up with the tape. Remove the pump, and place the air plug in the ball’s air valve. Let the ball sit for 24 hours before using the ball for weight training so that the plastic can stretch and adapt to the pressure.
Tips and Warnings
- It's natural for your exercise ball to very slowly deflate over time. If it feels softer or smaller than usual, measure for proper inflation and re-inflate if necessary. Once your exercise ball is properly inflated, it should compress about six inches when you sit on it. Most exercise balls come with a small hand pump, or you can use a bicycle pump to inflate the ball. Some exercise balls come with a strap to wrap around the ball once it's partially inflated. The strap going taut around the ball's circumference is your cue to stop inflating. In practice, however, this gives imperfect results; the strap might slip or stretch, incorrectly cuing you to over-inflate the ball.
Things You'll Need
- Exercise ball
- Measuring tape
- Large, sturdy box or masking tape
- Ball pump
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